Modern Building Products and Materials You Should Be Using Already
Updated: Mar. 17, 2021Houses today are stronger, more efficient and safer to work on. Modern building products have a lot to do with that. Here are some things you should know about by now.
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Tyvek Protec Roof Underlayment
Everyone knows Tyvek; their HomeWrap is everywhere. A lesser known fact is that Tyvek also produces a high end roof underlayment that can be used with most roofing materials like asphalt shingles, tile and metal. Tyvek Protec underlayment takes the place of felt paper.
Protec was designed with safety in mind: It lays flat and doesn’t wrinkle, which reduces a trip hazard. It has a nonslip surface that is much safer to walk on, perfect for steep pitched roofs. And it’s much tougher than felt and should never tear out from under your feet. Protec comes in a few grades with increasing quality and durability.
Filter Out the Debris
Catching and containing debris created from power-washing can be a tricky pain in the backside when using regular poly. That’s because poly is the wrong tool for the job. Check out Catch N Cover, a micro-filtration membrane that filters all of the potentially harmful leftover material from water (even lead paint chips) and leaves it behind, making cleanup easy.
All you have to do is drape Catch-N-Cover over the area around your jobsite, basically anywhere that water is going to run through. Catch-N-Cover is easy to cut, so you can make it fit pretty much any area you need to protect. Weigh the cover down, and you’re good to go! Water will simply pass through the membrane, filtering out all the solids, keeping the area beneath it clean. When you’re done with the job, simply roll the membrane up and either toss it or store it for later—it’s reusable!
Subfloor Adhesive from Huber
Huber Woods, known for AdvanTech subfloor panels, also has an impressive subfloor adhesive. They call it “Squeak-free” and claim that it will increase the stiffness of the subfloor. They also say that it will provide a more solid base for finished flooring. The adhesive is applied easily using their AdvanTech gun applicator; it can even be applied directly to frozen or wet joists due to its special formula.
The glue starts as a foam when first applied and then collapses into a gel, allowing it to fill in gaps and create a firm bond with the panels. Huber is so confident in their formula that they promise a 10-year squeak-free guarantee when you use their sub-flooring panel coupled with this formula.
Unique Home Accents
Looking to make a room stand out and spark conversations? UFP-Edge produces a Charred Wood Shiplap that gives a modern but rustic look to any remodel or renovation.
UFP Edge makes Charred Wood by carefully and specifically burning lumber. This produces a contrasting appearance that highlights the character of the wood and gives off a warm, almost rustic feel. This shiplap is sealed with a satin clear coat that shields its outer surface but still allows the lumber’s unique look to shine through.
The Charred Wood is available in shiplap and trim kits for easy installation and is perfect for projects such as accent walls, column and beam wrapping and even art and crafts.
Sheet Carrier
Handling heavy sheet goods is nearly impossible to do on your own without breaking your back or scuffing up your material. The Material Mate from Rockler is designed to be a helping hand. The Material Mate has two functions. In “panel cart” mode, the panel carrier works as great way to efficiently haul sheets of material. It can even fit through a standard 30 inch door frame.
In “shop stand” mode the stand flattens so you can lock sheets on top and then easily get to work. The frame even lets you adjust between 31 and 36-inch table heights.